


Loki's Tale

by cantarina, lc2l



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Community: pod-together, Epic Poetry, Gen, Podfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-29
Updated: 2012-08-29
Packaged: 2017-11-10 22:03:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/471185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cantarina/pseuds/cantarina, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lc2l/pseuds/lc2l
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>I presume some poor bard has been forced to recite Thor's account of the events of Midguard to these fine people. Perhaps, in the spirit of unbiased storytelling, they would like to hear mine.<br/>After all, every man is the hero of his own story.</i> </p>
<p>In which Loki gives his perspective on the events of the Avengers in the form of an epic poem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Loki's Tale

**Author's Note:**

> Content Notes: This work contains non-graphic Clint/Loki with the associated non-con, mindcontrol issues but sex is only ever implied and it could be interpreted to never have happened.
> 
> Accessibility Notes: Although the vast majority of this podfic is a single-voice reading with no added SFX or music, the first five minutes or so and the last one are in radio play format. Several female voices interact with each other in character and there is the occasional layering of voices and/or other sounds. The script for these passages (including stage directions) is a part of the main text body of this work.
> 
>  
> 
> (Cantarina's notes in the recording, lc2l's notes at the end)
> 
> ~95% epic poem, 5% radio play :)
> 
> **Cast:**  
> [Cantarina](http://cantarina.dreamwidth.org) \- Loki  
> [Bessyboo](http://Bessyboo.dreamwidth.org) \- Thor  
> [Anna_Unfolding](http://anna_unfolding.dreamwidth.org) \- Sif  
> [nickelmountain](http://nickelmountain.livejournal.com) \- Bard
> 
> Thank you to [heard_the_owl](http://heard-the-owl.livejournal.com/) for all of her help in the editing process and to the pod-together mods for everything.

  


[MP3](http://pod-together.parakaproductions.com/2012/A-Loki's%20Tale.mp3) | [M4B](http://pod-together.parakaproductions.com/2012/A-Loki's%20Tale%20by%20cantarina%20&%20lc2l.m4b)

[The sound of a crowded feast echoing in a large hall. Closer, a table of people eating and listening to a young man recite over the simple plucking of a lute.]

Man:  
And so the brave knight did stand tall  
And raise his spear up in one hand  
To smite the bilgesnipe where it stood  
He killed the beast and saved the land

[Slowly filtering in over this comes the sound of footsteps and the clink of chains.]

Then climbed up to the highest point  
Where maiden waited oh so fair  
In purple silk and ornate lace  
With ever flowing golden hair

[The background noises of the hall are fading as the footsteps grow louder. The lute stops.]

The knight knelt down there at her feet  
And swore his love true for all time  
And she -

[The bard stutters to a halt as the footsteps stop. The hall is now completely silent, as though holding it's breath.]

Loki: Is there no place laid for the King's youngest son? I was invited, after all.

Thor: Brother! We did not realise you would be coming when you have declined to leave your room for so long now.

Loki: A feast in celebration of our great Allfather? How could I possibly resist. I would have been here sooner but you know how it is when your feet are chained together. You just can't seem to walk at the speed to which you were accustomed.

[The clatter of plates as Thor pushes aside space for Loki at the table.]

Thor: Come, sit with me. Eat, drink, be at peace.

Loki: I had rather a different plan in mind. After all _Jotuns_ don't need food or drink so I can only assume you begged your father to remove my gag in the hope that I would _talk_.

[There's the clink of chains and scatter of plates and goblets as Loki climbs onto the table. A few gasps from the crowd and chairs hastily pulled back]

Thor: You wish to perform? How wonderful, I have always loved your epics. Tell the one about the time we hunted the giant deer in Svartalvheim and we chased it for seven months all the while avoiding the attention of a single dwarf.

Loki: I have a better story in mind. I presume some poor bard has been forced to recite your account of the events of Midguard to these fine people. Perhaps, in the spirit of unbiased storytelling, they would like to hear mine.

Sif: Epics are about heroes, not murderous scum.

Loki: The lady Sif, charmed as always. [footsteps and chain clinks as he walks down the table.] Have you not heard that every man is the hero of his own story?

Oh Lords and Ladies gathered here today  
Prick up your ears to listen to my tale  
May Hel and Nidhogg guide my golden words  
My unbound tongue left free to entertain

I'll tell you a tale of the trickster god  
Who they call silvertongued weaver of lies  
Named younger son of Odin allfather  
A shadow of the true prince of Asgard

Sif: [muttered] Why must we listen to his gilded lies?

Thor: He is here to learn peace and trust once more, fair Sif. How can he learn if we do not show them to him?

Loki:  
The Liar who was raised on silken sheets  
And once did fight beside Asguardians true  
Stolen at birth by the man he called king  
Discovered was left to fall into space

And so the shadow slipped through all darkness  
He saw countless worlds beyond all knowing  
Searched for the realm Midguard of which he had  
Been told of how it changed the one true prince

From parallel space he watched their world turn  
Night filled with smoke and lights to lose the stars  
He saw no king, no unified presence  
No hope for peace as all men craved power

Wars fought by those at such a great distance  
They see not what their actions may unleash  
They fight to drill for blackness thick as blood  
That lets them spew smoke to burn out their sky

Thor: It's not like that, brother. You twist the mortal's honest doings to your own tale.

Loki: Do I, _brother_? How long did you spend there, truly? Scarce a week as I recall, do you really believe your precious mortals would have told you all their planets darkest secrets?

Sif: They cannot be any worse than you, you twisted snake. 

Loki: If I am to be continually interrupted, perhaps I will retire back to my rooms and my studies.

Thor: No! You are free to be here, and to speak. We will let you tell your tale though I can make no promise to believe it.

[Sif scoffs scornfully but does not speak again.]

Loki:  
They press buttons to massacre a city  
With smoke and fire a thousand miles away  
Slaughtering their own kind like animals  
Wage wars against their own with no honour

He saw them twisting metal and mortar  
To build machines that take the tesseract  
The energy of life and creation  
And feed it into weapons that burn homes

These folk had been trusted with such beauty  
But let it fade in second importance  
To their own freedom and their greedy hearts  
The fallen prince resolved to set them true

The silver tongued slid through space in the form  
Of shadows and reflections in a glass  
He spoke in whispers to a sorcerer  
Of Midguard older but less cold of heart

He led the man unto the tesseract  
And whispered in his ear until he chose  
To turn that power of life away from war  
Toward a way to bring the new king home

And so the exiled prince slipped back to space  
To search for help in saving that lost world  
He followed the echo of energy  
Across countless systems and foreign worlds

He saw the Jate that fight with swords of air  
And birth their young from nets up in the trees  
He rested with them for three days and nights  
But saw they lacked the strength so left alone

From there he found the lava fields of Hein  
Where he walked in shields to save burning skin  
The army stood ten thousand fire-armed men  
But heat was their life and Midguard had none

He left that place of fire and slid instead  
To Relaka where ice is life and love  
In Jotun form he walked among the men  
But they were full of peace and would not fight

Ten score more worlds he passed through on this quest  
So far from the fair trunk of Yggdrasil  
Some offered gifts, some rest, some weaponry  
But none were fit to war with Midguard guns

The future king was almost out of hope  
Tired and weak he stumbled on a rock  
Seeming barren and empty of all life  
He sat to take rest and rethink his plans

He had only meant to sit a moment  
But proper rest had been lacking of late  
Within a moment his eyes were closing  
Sending him spiralling into mixed dreams

Inside his sleep he saw a blue scorched sky  
Saw new formed lightning flash around his head  
He saw his home with the gates closed to him  
And woke only when metal touched his throat

The beings were not quite flesh nor metal  
They led him 'cross the rock with spear and force  
So tired was he, he had not strength to fight  
His questions met with silence from the beasts

They voyaged for three days across the rock  
With no pause, no rest and no sustenance  
The trickster could hold no spell for so long  
The rock so cold he walked in Jotun shape

No sun was there to measure the days past  
And T'was in the sixty fourth hour they stopped  
Fed him dry bread with melted snow for drink  
Such that he could appear a Prince once more

Once the food was all spent and the Liesmith  
Was illusioned in armour and green cloak  
The escort led him to a stone plinth where  
Creature with hooded face called him by name

The beings were other, the chitauri  
Part machine and part skin powered by ships  
Hanging hidden high in the darkest sky  
Warriors all with no equal yet known

The shadowed prince smiled then upon their king  
He sat on offered seat and told his tale  
Of bastard son and deceitful brother  
All that he did for love long since denied

Long hours they spoke of Midguard's suffering  
Of the weapons they forced from cube of light  
The other's king brought forth a long sceptre  
The end of which shone as the tesseract

This he promised was the secret to their  
Continued victories in all their fights  
Twas filled with untapped power over minds  
Of lesser men who could learn to obey

The former trickster took the sceptre in  
His hands and watched it light upon his touch  
It breathed secrets into his ear and oh  
It promised all the worlds of which he dreamt

The sceptre sang words of the tesseract  
A string like fishing line linking it to  
The cube where it sat with the sorcerer  
On Midguard the door was his to open

The hooded creature offered him a trade  
The Chitauri forces at his command  
To subdue the greatest Midguardian threat  
And place him on the golden Midguard throne

In return they begged for the tesseract  
Such that they could use its greater power  
In place of the sceptre they passed to him  
For victory in their future battles

The Silver tongued liar named prince and king  
Saw the assembled hoards around that place  
And being a liar in all such things  
Made the promise with no intent to keep

He stood then among the army he'd found  
And raised the shining sceptre in one hand  
Feeling the magic well up in his palms  
He bade them prepare their forces for war

With that he let the tesseract power  
Pick up the light of the sceptre he held  
And force the Midguard door which had been built  
To pry open and let him travel through

The voyage was fast as the rainbow bridge  
Like fish on line a hook tugged him through space  
Stripped the illusion of armour and crown  
Such that he landed weary and so weak

The door was built within a great chamber  
Filled with machines of magic that they used  
To control the cube like it was no more  
Than an object designed for paltry use

The sorcerer to whom he had whispered  
Was standing with a one-eyed man in black  
Who called out as soon as the king landed  
With threats of violence as was Midguard's way

The men around him readied their weapons  
Fired bullets made from metal fast as sound  
As to pierce armour were his shields not strong  
But he was not yet so weak as to fall

The sceptre leapt unbidden in his hand  
Filled with that power of Chitauri war  
And fired the Tesseract energy out  
To burn the men who'd try to fight their king

He leapt to fight a handful face to face  
To show his strength and prove to all present  
That he had no need to distance himself  
From the glorious battle for the world

And so the new king returned to his land  
The silence fell just when the men were slain  
Save one, a man who had not moved to fight  
Though reached for weapon as Loki approached

This man was known to most as Clint Barton  
A Midguardian archer of great skill  
Who's faithfulness towards those he obeyed  
Would be his greatest asset to the cause

The Liar saw he knew how to be brave  
And had a heart truer than those elsewhere  
He raised the sceptre to the archer's chest  
And took the man's loyalty for his own

Once done, he turned to find his sorcerer  
Who earned his place within the new Midguard  
When he worked tirelessly to construct  
The doorway that brought the sceptre 'cross space

"I am Loki," The liar said to him  
"I am burdened with glorious purpose."  
And he took control of a second man  
Such that he may be protected from harm

The sorcerer then spoke that he had known  
The Asgard prince named Thor when he was here  
And thus the liar knew that he could not  
Be trusted anymore with his freedom

And so he told the men what he had learned  
That mortals can't be left to run their world  
And that he would take on himself the task  
To bring Midguard back to serenity

And so he spoke, "Freedom is life's great lie.  
You must accept this as truth in your heart.  
And only once that's done may you know peace."  
To this end he claimed the sorcerer's mind

The one eyed man continued to object  
But was cut off by Barton the archer  
Who moved to warn his king of future doom  
Should they not swiftly depart from that place

The energy made by the Tesseract  
To carry the trickster unto Midguard  
Was gathered up in the roof of the room  
About to bring the rock upon their heads

The one eyed man smiled at this one reveal  
Promised them deaths "Just as Pharaohs of old"  
Would fall himself to stop them leaving there  
A brave but ultimately foolish goal

With but a word the archer drew his gun  
To slay the one eyed man and take the case  
Into which the Tesseract had been placed  
And so all of the trickster's men escaped

The liar was led unto a vessel  
Of iron and steel which carried him away  
And though there was much pursuit through the base  
The sceptre rose to defend its master

The roof was coming down over their heads  
But they avoided all the falling rocks  
By virtue of the skill of the archer  
With one hand steered and with the other shot

And though their skill was great, their time was short  
And all great plans require some sacrifice  
The nameless man was caught upon that road  
He gave his life so his king could escape

The archer sorcerer and their new lord  
All made it out beyond the falling rocks  
Only to find the one eyed man waiting  
To fire upon them from craft in the sky 

At this point the sceptre was nearly spent  
And so too was its holder the tired king  
But he raised it for one last des'pret stand  
Sending the craft from sky into the ground

The one-eyed man leapt from the burning wreck  
As though a demon from the jaws of Hel  
But the vessel was swift and the night dark  
Such that they vanished before he could strike

Through the shadows and darkness they travelled  
And the liar's exhaustion was so great  
He slept upon that berth left so unarmed  
With only mortals to guard him in rest

As such was he carried throughout the night  
And awoke in an unfamiliar room  
That no mortal nor god could hope to find  
Where Barton stood protecting as he slept

The archer's eyes shone blue like staff or cube  
He laid the sceptre down at trickster's feet  
And bowed his head over the king at rest  
Speaking so soft and without emotion

"I wished that I could kill you where you lay  
So helpless here with none to hear you scream  
Selvig is old and too weak to defend  
I carried you, you were at my mercy."

He closed his eyes like could not bear to look  
"And yet my hands would not close on your throat  
My knives were stilled not inches from your chest  
So seems by all evidence I am yours."

The trickster took the sceptre in his hands  
And rose up from his berth to stand up tall  
"You will follow behind and keep me safe  
As I command to you it shall be law."

He touched a hand to the other man's brow  
With magic he quelled the last resistance  
And Barton did kneel then at trickster's feet  
"My king," he said head bowed in surrender

The king being kind bade him stand again  
"You see," he said into the archer's ear  
"Freedom is not the gift you all believe  
Is this not so much easier to accept?"

And Clint shook for one moment like a leaf  
Captured by twists of wind en route to ground  
A tremor running through from head to toe  
But spoke only two words and those: "My king."

Side by side they then left that room behind  
And found the sorcerer in a chamber  
Large enough for the start of glorious plans  
With no commands he knelt and whispered "Lord."

Under the ground and with nought but two men  
One older sorcerer, one normal man  
The trickster saw the start of his new world  
And knew the sight of victory in reach

Unto the sorcerer he set the task  
Of building up the greatest of machines  
To turn the Tesseract into a door  
Through which the full army could be unleashed

The man did all he could within the base  
But the rooms were clear of all things of use  
And he was old with just two hands to build  
So could not work as fast as was required

"Oh king," he said unto his greatest lord  
"I cannot work with this and this alone  
Need metals, powders, space to rest my work  
And many hands make light the tasks of one."

"Of course, great sorceror," the god replied.  
"Write down a list of all that is required  
And I will bring you all that you may seek."  
And Selvig bowed, thanked him and called him king.

With archer by his side he scoured the land  
For men and means to help them in their quest  
Turned them toward the cause with words or staff  
And brought them back to serve beneath their king

Found scientists in towers painted white  
Engineers building machines with their hands  
Wrote magic out in numbers cross the walls  
Their eyes lighting up with this new challenge

Guided by words of men and lines of code  
Tracked crates snaked long running down metal tracks  
Directed precious cargo from it's route  
And with a flash of magic brought it home

And finally the archer took his hand  
To lead him to darkest and hidden rooms  
Where men with guns had services for sale  
Smiled rotten teeth when hearing of his quest

He offered gold and land once world was his  
Convinced with words and blood from slitted necks  
And once they'd knelt and sworn their swords to him  
He used magic to send them all to work

Then returned to the base to see his men  
And while waiting as the machine was built  
The Liar and thief stole the archer's heart  
In order that he'd not be so alone

And everywhere he went the archer followed  
And whispered loving praise where none could hear  
His arms were warm round trickster in the night  
Who then could sleep and know that he was safe

And only in the darkest depths of night  
When Clint believed his king to be asleep  
He whispered "One day I will see you die  
And then feel nothing but vindication."

From then the liar, silvertongued glory  
Slept ill within that place or on that world  
And kissed the archer more to still his tongue  
Than from any joy that it passed unto him

He took the sceptre more to the man's chest  
Just to be sure that he would never stray  
And kept him close at all time possible  
With questions about all his other foes

So he learned of Fury the one-eyed man  
And leader of the army known as SHIELD  
Who once did try to stand between Mjolnir  
And that great prince of Asgard who wields it

He learnt of the soldier trapped deep in ice  
Who fought a war that spanned cross that whole world  
Such strength and skills as to be words of myth  
Returned to life to fight once more for men

And then to the man encased in iron  
A sorcerer of great midguard renown  
Though torn up from a past tried to forget  
Still then he fought to keep his race alive

Another sorcerer, mild mannered man  
Who changed himself through tests that were ill thought  
That when angered turned to a fierce beast  
No love nor loyalty just rage and pain

And finally with not small persuasion  
He told of the woman he fought beside  
Hair red as fire and suit black as night  
Brings death like valkyrie by gun or blade

Natasha Romanov he said her name  
And oh how his voice softened as he spoke  
When sent to kill her spared her life instead  
And there the trickster knew how she would die

The captain, man of iron, the beast and girl  
All scattered lost and lonely in the world  
And SHIELD so weak to lose to the trickster  
When last he sent the destroyer to earth

The Liar gathered up this new knowledge  
Used it to lay careful plans in the night  
Passed silently across Midguard's surface  
Set careful traps and tricks for victory

Then each morn he returned so silent back  
To his men and sorcerers in the base  
And back with ever more questions to which  
The archer never failed with an answer

And so Clint talked through day and night again  
With every word spoke his eyes glowed brighter  
Where the liar held him close in his arms  
And helped him to forget those he betrayed

They were not to be seperated there  
Or so he hoped, but it was not to be  
For the Chitauri were growing restless  
And called to him 'cross space to have him speak

So losing Clint through tricks and misdirects  
He stood alone to feel the hook once more  
Sent shadow of himself back to be seen  
Once more armoured before that dreaded beast

For no greater purpose was he called back  
Except for threats and warnings for the same  
For which the trickster had little patience  
His plan unfolding just as he had hoped.

"I do not deal in threats," the trickster said  
"Til I open the door for your creatures  
And your force stands here strong, mine to command  
To me you are but mist and smoke and words."

The Other snarled displeasure in his face.  
"If you should fail," he said as a promise.  
"There'll be no realm in the nine or beyond  
No barren moon where I cannot find you."

He laughed out such a strange inhuman sound  
"You think that you know greatest pain," he said.  
"The one I answer to will make you long  
For something oh so sweet as simply pain."

And with that threat like fortune from his lips  
The Other pressed hand to the trickster's cheek  
And with pain that would break a lesser man  
The trickster was returned once more to earth

Deep in the base he closed his tired eyes  
Pushed the ache down where it could be ignored  
The archer found him sitting there alone  
And sat beside him just to feel him close.

The servant's heart was great and oh so true  
Promised a thousand impossible things  
That he would save his king from things arcane  
And fight a race so far beyond his skills

And though the trickster knew it could not be  
He was still soothed so slightly from the words  
That he did let his guard drop so briefly  
And took the offered comfort as it came

"We move too slow," the trickster said to him.  
"The Chitauri grow restless as a storm  
And ever in their impatience I find  
I am only a pawn in their great game."

Clint reached then to gently pull him closer  
With no more false promises sat silent  
For knew as well as fate there were no words  
To save his master from the precipice

His silence was welcome in that moment  
Gave liar time to piece his thoughts and plan  
And only once he had found measured calm  
Did archer say, "If it's a game then win."

And so he gathered up his men around  
To bid them increase the speed of their work  
Then settled to the sound of production  
And watched the future taking form around

He walked among his people such that they  
Could see their king gave them his full support  
And thought himself no greater than them all  
As without help any plan's doomed to fail

The sorcerer had blue glow in his eyes  
And spoke he did of long conversation  
With tesseract that great shimmering cube  
For it did try to guide him in his work

And Barton though the archer tried to fight  
The cube it spoke through him as easily  
To guide him to his new ascended role  
Finding the final piece of the puzzle

With this the trickster knew the time was nigh  
Machine almost complete, the battle near  
That small brief snatch of peace could never last  
And they would soon be thrown into the fray

The archer stepped forward to ask his king  
"I need some way to guarantee a time  
Through which the path I'll take is free and clear  
That I may take the substance from it's berth."

And so this was to be the trickster's path  
To set turning the wheels he had long planned  
Leading the enemy on merry chase  
Unto his orchestrated conclusion

Into the flying craft is where they went  
The archer, trickster and some of the men  
The men with guns to shoot iron with fire  
The trickster with his staff, archer with bow

As the ship landed on a raised platform  
The men spread and secured the landing site  
Then twas just Barton and King in the craft  
Archer leaned close, whispered, "I hope you die."

Then he too jumped clear of the craft's doorway  
Called commands to his men and they moved out  
Following their leader down the stairwell  
Leaving the king alone inside the ship

And though this was the start of his great plan  
And he could see no way for it to fail  
The king looked down at sceptre in his lap  
And triumph tasted bitter on his tongue

His moment of discontent could not last  
He closed his hands tighter around the staff  
Remembered all the darkest midguard acts  
The murders, massacres and loss of lives

Then reminded of his great conviction  
He rose unto his feet and stood full height  
Resplendant for one moment king of all  
'Fore illusion covered him in disguise

He walked down Midguard streets, through Midguard ways  
Where people passed without a second glance  
So used were they to living with their lies  
They could not tell that he was out of place

He counted down the minutes, watched the skies  
Until the moment Barton should be set  
Could only hope the archer would stay true  
His mind still fought against the sceptre's strength

But the hour was far too late for doubts  
So with the faith of one with nought to lose  
The trickster walked into the grand palace  
Through crowds and beneath ornate chandeliers

He watched midguardians feasting on the fruit  
Of other's honest labours in the fields  
Then taken by these men with red stained hands  
To fill their stomachs up beyond their need

He stood upon the balcony and watched  
And knew then that no matter what the cost  
This world needed him more than it did know  
And he would rise unto their wordless call

In normal times he would slip by with words  
Lead his target into a private space  
And take the services that he required  
Where no one else would have a need to pry

But as he passed the sceptre hand to hand  
He knew the time for secrecy was past  
A distraction could not be done in quiet  
And it was time these people met their king

So swung the staff around with all his strength  
Knocked down the guard and scanned the silent room  
His target stood upon a raised dais  
Spoke full of self importance to the crowd

The trickster crossed the room unto the man  
And pinned him down upon his own table  
Where nestled in his unearned treasury  
The king could take from him what was required

The Liar pulled a device from the air  
Where he had left it so it would be safe  
And pressed it down upon the target's face  
Where with a little magic it would work

He felt the pull of the device's mate  
Held up in Barton's hand against a wall  
And with not a small amount of relief  
Used magic to transfer the eye across

With Barton safely through the secured door  
The king left the man to die on the bench  
And turned to see the rest of his subjects  
All fleeing out in a disorded crowd

Dispensing with pretence and illusion  
The king followed in full armour and helm  
Stood tall in cloak and sceptre in his hand  
Used magic to surround the fearful crowd

"Kneel," he commanded to his subjects  
They cowered and cried out but did not bow  
"I said kneel," he repeated twice more  
And like a wave they knelt there at his feet

The quiet fell slowly across the square  
And in the shadowed twilight the new king  
Could walk amongst this crowd of new subjects  
And speak to them a little of their lives

"Oh my people, why do you never see  
Is this not easier than what you had  
Your natural state has always been to yield  
That one unspoken truth of all your race

And oh, I know of that bright lure freedom  
You scramble so for power or for self  
But know that you have fought so long in vain  
For you were made such that you could be ruled."

The king looked out across the lowered heads  
He knew these midguardians were now his  
He promised them their future like a balm  
"And in the end," he said. "You always kneel."

And he could see that they all understood  
By the looks in their eyes and in their hearts  
They knew and yielded in that square before him  
Save one an elder of that mortal race

And this man would not stay upon the ground  
But stood to put himself above the rest  
Unable to comprehend the king's might  
Said would not kneel, "No, not to men like you."

"There are no men like me," the king explained  
But elder man would not listen to him  
Fighting as though he could not comprehend  
The king's strength so required demonstration

But as the liar raised his staff to strike  
And show assembled subjects his power  
A being dropped like comet from the sky  
Sending the blast aside like mirrored light

The Captain long frozen inside the ice  
Dressed in bright cloth and masked to hide his face  
Armed only with a shield which seemed so plain  
Yet had skill to deflect the sceptre's blast

The people in the square scattered like flies  
Leaving a space clear for the coming fight  
A helicopter hovered in the sky  
Defending the good captain with it's guns

Once more the mortals thought they could demand  
That he reliquish the sceptre he held  
But their guns were no match for all his might  
And he did knock the captain to his knees

The battle was turned fully in his favour  
When night was broken by a dreadful sound  
And man of iron soared over the square  
His golden palms raised prepared to attack

The king looked out across the ruined place  
Last remnants of his subjects long since gone  
And in the face of two full rested heroes  
Knew it was time for his plan to unfold

He let the armour fade back from his arms  
Vanished the helmet back to the abyss  
And raised both hands before the two heroes  
Surrendering himself unto their care

Then gathered up in chains and forced inside  
Their foul polluting vessel of the air  
And forced to sit in silence as the two  
Heroes fought over between themselves

He saw now what the archer had not known  
That these so called saviours of the world  
Were little more than men and all so proud  
They would not band together in this fight

One moment he allowed himself to think  
That his plan would run smooth without a flaw  
But fates demanded at that very second  
The craft began to shake in grip of storm

The heroes were confused and unaware  
But their prisoner had no trace of doubt  
What other reason could their be for such  
A sudden and ferocious local storm

And sure enough the ship was torn apart  
By such a mighty blow from one Mjolnir  
The weapon of the one true prince of Asgard  
Whom once the king had called his own brother

Stolen out from his captors, liar flew  
In Thunder's mighty arms unto a ridge  
Where he was freed to stumble to the ground  
Thrown once more at his brother's noble feet

He rose up from the ground and turned to face  
The man who once had been his closest friend  
And in that face saw little but raw rage  
No hint of loss or sadness from days past

"Where is the tesseract?" The true prince asked  
As though there was no history recalled  
Though the last time the two had parted ways  
Twas as the trickster fell far into space

And on that rock in Midguard far from home  
Did Laufay's son and Odin's heir elect  
Stand face to face once more beneath the sky  
And the prince told the greatest lie of all

For Laufay's son was a frost giant born  
Stolen as a child for to be raised  
In someone else's palace far from home  
"Brother," the Prince called him, that grandest lie

Prince listened not when trickster told his tale  
How he was raised with hopeless vane belief  
Left in shadow, fooled by Allfather's lie  
That each of them had same claim for the throne

He told of all his plans for Midguard's rule  
How he was working to Thor's noble quest  
The humans could not save themselves alone  
A King could restore them to greatest glory

But the prince would not listen to his words  
Only demanded return of the cube  
Which had been left back with the sorcerer  
Who would long since have moved it from the base

And before he could explain his plan more  
The man of iron appeared in the sky  
And threw the prince of Asgard from the ledge  
Far down to battle in the trees below

Through sounds of fighting, the liar sat still  
And wondered on the status of his plan  
If archer had succeded in his quest  
And if he had then oh where was he now

For though he would not admit it aloud  
His heart already ached for simpler times  
The easy company that comes from love  
It was clear he would not have it again

And in too short a time the prince returned  
With man of iron and soldier in his wake  
"You'll go quietly with these two good men  
And once their task is done I'll bring you home."

The liar looked into the fairest eyes  
Familiar face that once he called brother  
And let them lead him back into his cage  
Though he no longer called Asguard his home

They took him to a craft so wide in span  
Could almost be a village in the sky  
And though the king had heard of it before  
Its majesty still blew him quite away

They were met upon landing by the man  
In black coat and eye patch over one eye  
Who lead a team of ten fully armed men  
To escort the liar down through their base

The floating vessel hummed with their machines  
The power seemed enough to run a city  
And in the walk he caught a glimpse of those  
Others who the archer had spoken of

His eyes were drawn to dark haired sorcerer  
Ensconced inside a lab full of machines  
Reminding him of the base left behind  
And all his men whom he had left alone

But the man was important for good reason  
This was the creature Clint has spoken of  
As intelligent in this human form  
As the beast was irrational in it's thoughts

And as he passed the window how he smiled  
For all the elements of his set plan  
Were sliding like a puzzle into place  
And he knew all he had to do was wait

They shut him up inside the monster's cage  
A box of glass and metal hanging high  
And showed him how with a touch of a switch  
The cell would drop like lead out of the sky

"How desperate are you?" he asked the man  
Who stood to gloat outside his new built cage  
"To call upon such creatures for defence  
So lost and proud they will not fight as one."

The one eyed man looked back at him and said  
"By threatening by world with your new war  
The lengths that you will go for victory  
You have made me most desperate of men."

"It burns you to have come so close," king said  
"To have this power there at your fingers  
That warmest light for all of your mankind  
I will show you what real power is."

With that the one eyed man departed hence  
Leaving the Liar with just his thoughts once more  
And though he knew the torture on the way  
He settled in his cell ready to wait

Far sooner than he'd thought, he heard a sound  
And turned to see a woman watching him  
Smaller than most warriors he had met  
But still he knew her from the archer's tales

He had expected her to come in last  
Once they believed him broken and afraid  
She would extract the answers they required  
From his tortured and long abandoned mind

"Tell me what you've done to agent Barton,"  
She said inviting no arguments there  
And then he knew exactly why she'd come  
And something like jealously touched his chest

"Tell me about the two of you," he asked  
If only to kill time until the plan  
And though he did not expect full reply  
She hesitated then began to speak

She spoke of the life Barton had told of  
Falling too deep in poorest choice of crowd  
And when the archer went to take her down  
He stopped before his arrow left the string

And in that moment Loki knew the truth  
He stole Clint's love from this, this mortal girl  
"With your whole world in flux," he said to her  
"You come to me to bargain for one man."

She broke down there before his glass walled cage  
And in a moment of careless misthought  
He let a hint to his true plan slip out  
And she left him alone there in the dark

But though this one slight lapse could not be stopped  
He counted down still until the moment  
The full extent of his scheme was revealed  
And when the floor lurched neath his feet he knew

He stepped up to the glass that sealed the cell  
Counted the seconds back down from sixty  
And had not yet reached ten when the men came  
Three shapes in black who ran towards the door

At his instructions they typed in the code  
That would open the door and let him out  
Then retreated back out of that chamber  
Left their king to complete his own set tasks

With common enemy there was a risk  
That all these wayward folk would band as one  
And with the stakes of battle set so high  
The trickster did not dare to take the chance

Set illusion in the door of the cage  
A trick he had perfected as a child  
And Thor - the Asgard Prince - when he saw it  
Went racing up to catch him in escape

His charging form did pass clean through the door  
Which sealed shut behind him locking tight  
And then did Loki let the image fade  
Replaced with himself standing set apart

"Are you ever not going to fall for that?"  
He asked of his imprisoned once-brother  
"These humans think we are so immortal  
Would you like us to test that theory?"

He paused, his hand above the red button  
To send the Prince tumbling from the sky  
But before he could move his hand to press  
He heard the sound of weapon raised behind

"Move away please," said the mortal human  
Raising a gun that shone with orange fire  
"We built this from the destroyer you sent  
Even I don't yet what it will do."

The Liar turned to catch his brother's eye  
Because, yes, this is what midguardian's do  
They build their weapons without care or heed  
Of what lasting effects their deeds may have

The trickster raised the sceptre in his hand  
And plunged the blade up through the mortal's back  
As the illusion of his shape faded  
And his true form came visible behind

The mortal fell dying down at his feet  
And he stepped past the man to the button  
Sparing barely a glance toward the cage  
Sent brother, liar, prince down to his doom

"There's a new perfect world coming," he said  
To fallen cage and dying mortal man  
"And sacrifices must be made if we  
Are to make it through to a bright new day."

Standing tall he walked away from that place  
Out through the corridors of falling ship  
And his men led him down deserted halls  
To the aircraft awaiting his approach

"Five dead," the leader said as he sat down  
"Selvig is waiting for us on the road  
I hear that the machine is now ready  
Awaiting your arrival and commands."

The king nodded and settled in his seat  
As the engines fired up and they flew off  
He looked around the cabin and noticed  
"The archer, Barton, why is he not here?"

The men's leader shrugged once and glanced around  
"He said himself to leave once we had you  
No waiting and no turning back for men  
Any who stay get left behind to die."

The King knew well there was no time to stop  
And knew also that Barton would be here  
If there was any way he could have been  
Such was the great power of the sceptre

And so he settled in his seat again  
As they flew far away from that dark place  
And once more t'wards the light of fair future  
A better place for Midguard and it's men

And if he was alone on that great seat  
That golden throne from which he'd run the world  
It may even be better off that way  
For trust when giv'n is ripe to be betrayed

[Long pause]

Loki: Well, don't all rush to clap at once.

Sif: That's not how it ends. There was a battle, you lost.

Loki: I never lose, fair Lady, I simply plan a longer game.

Thor: So many of your beliefs are misguided, brother. You are loved here, you are needed here. Your thoughts are much misled but you must see how you can lose this bittern-

Loki: I see nothing but an Asguardian prince who has once more listened not to a word I say.

[There is a thud and a clank as Loki jumps off the table onto the stone floor.]

Loki: Now if you will excuse me, I think I have exhausted my ability to tolerate the present company. Give my warmest regards to your father, if he ever bothers to make his appearance.

Thor: Our -

Loki: My dearest _brother_ , leave the lying to those with the talent for it.

[Footsteps and chain clinks grow fainter in the silent hall as Loki walks away. A door slams, and then silence.]

**Author's Note:**

>  **Author's notes:**  
>  So having just heard the podfic for the first time I am completely in love and this totally justifies the long nights of reading avengers quotes and counting syllables on my fingers (:
> 
> Cantarina has been the most amazing person to work from ever since she said 'I'm interested in oral storytelling styles' and I foolishly thought 'epic poem!' Every 'hey, can I make you do THIS?' was met with enthusiasm and I am pretty sure she never told me no (sorry!). It's been an amazing collaboration and I am completely in awe of what she has created.
> 
> So I would like to thank Cantarina for being amazing and wonderful and fantastic. Also Bessyboo, anna_unfolding and nickelmountain who joined in and let me sit in on their recording session when I was too tired to do much but flail in awe at how wonderful fandom is. Thanks to the [pod_together](http://pod-together.livejournal.com) mods for organising this challenge, it's been great! Also so much love, as always, to my twitter feed. I am very sorry I complained at you so much while writing (:
> 
> This has been a wonderful collaboration in an amazing challenge and I hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as I have enjoyed being involved.  
> -L


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